Distributed computing environment

Abstract

A method is described which allows a very large (greater than 100,000) number of applications to communicate logically through a many-to-many multicast cloud on the common carrier Internet efficiently by exploiting characteristics of the applications' data streams which allow substantial message culling as well as more standard routing optimization (conventional multicast and optimization standard to normal Internet routing systems). The method describes the function and type of three types of systems which operate together to implement the method. The first is a network enabled client application, such as a distributed simulation or game, which joins an application cloud or federation and communicates its internal state changes into the cloud via a communication applications programming interface. The second is a lobby manager or broker which accepts entry into a communication cloud or federation and provides information to the federation and the client application for establishing communications between them. And third, is a applications-specific routing system which provides the normal function of routing packets between Internet hosts (client applications running on these hosts), but also allows the routing functions to affected by modules in the router which are associated with the distributed application or simulation being implemented. These application “personalized” routing modules implement substantial application-specific message culling through message omission, rerouting, and other quality of service modifications to substantially reduce overall federation communication traffic and at the same time still effectively implement a point-to-multipoint distributed communications model between clients.

We claim: 
     
       1. A distributed network computing environment, comprising:
 a plurality of computer-based clients communicating within a multicast cloud distributed computer network using content-specific data within messages to implement data routing and message culling in a groupware application;
 each computer-based client including a processor and memory with instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor; and 
 
 one or more routing modules in the network, or router-embedded applets, operative, in addition to normal packet-routing, to permit or inhibit the distribution of a particular message based upon the content of the message. 
 
     
     
       2. The environment of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a distributed simulation or game. 
     
     
       3. The environment of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a client-selectable and controllable data service associated with the distribution of audio, video, or other digital signal streams. 
     
     
       4. The environment of  claim 1 , wherein the clients enter, leave, and interact with the cloud through a lobby manager. 
     
     
       5. The environment of  claim 4 , wherein the lobby manager is further operative to validate the application in terms of compatibility and download data to correct for deficiencies. 
     
     
       6. The environment of  claim 4 , wherein the lobby manager is further operative to simultaneously support multiple clouds through multicast or replicated unicast protocols. 
     
     
       7. The environment of  claim 1 , wherein the routing modules implement application-specific message culling to reduce client-cloud communications. 
     
     
       8. The environment of  claim 7 , wherein the message culling includes message omission, rerouting, and other quality-of-service modifications. 
     
     
       9. The environment of  claim 7 , wherein the application communicates internal state changes into the cloud through an API. 
     
     
       10. The environment of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a massive groupware application involving thousands of world-wide participants. 
     
     
       11. A distributed network computing environment, comprising:
 a network-enabled application running on a computer-based client; 
 the computer-based client including a processor and memory, with insructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor; 
 at least one lobby manager that facilitates communications between the client application and a federation; and 
 one or more routing modules in the network, or router-embedded applets, operative, in addition to normal packet-routing, to permit or inhibit the distribution of a particular message based upon the content of the message to reduce the communications with the federation. 
 
     
     
       12. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the application is a distributed simulation. 
     
     
       13. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the application is a game. 
     
     
       14. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the application is a client selectable and controllable data service. 
     
     
       15. The environment of  claim 14 , wherein the data service includes audio, video, or other type of digital signal feed. 
     
     
       16. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the routing modules further support a point-to-multipoint distributed communications model between clients. 
     
     
       17. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least some of the client applications run on host platforms; and 
 the routing modules further support conventional internet packet routing among the hosts. 
 
     
     
       18. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the routing modules further support one or more conventional multicast protocols. 
     
     
       19. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the application communicates internal state changes into the federation through an API. 
     
     
       20. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the message culling includes message omission, rerouting, and other quality-of-service modifications. 
     
     
       21. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the lobby manager is further operative to validate the client application compatibility with the federation and download data to correct for deficiencies. 
     
     
       22. The environment of  claim 11 , wherein the lobby manager is further operative to simultaneous process multiple federations. 
     
     
       23. The environment of  claim 22 , wherein the federations communicate through multicast or replicated unicast protocols.